MARILOU SEBASTIAN vs.

ATTY. DOROTHEO CALIS

A.C. No. 5118. | September 9, 1999

PRESENTED BY: JANE C. ALBINA

 FACTS:
• Sometime in November 1992, Complainant (Marilou Sebastian) was
referred to the Respondent (Atty. Calis) who promised to process all
the necessary documents requirements for her trip to USA for
150,000.00. After payment for expedite processing, the respondent
furnished the complainant copies of Supplemental to U.S.
Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Of. 156) and a list of questions which
would be asked during interviews.
• Upon inquiry of the complainant regarding the passport, Atty. Calis
informed her that she will be assuming the name Lizette P. Ferrer
married to Roberto Ferrer, employed as sales manager of Matiao
Marketing, Inc. and she was furnished documents to support her
assumed identity.
• Realizing that she will be travelling with spurious documents, the
complainant demanded the return of her money, the respondent
assured her not to worry and that her money will be refunded if
something goes wrong.
• Upon arrival at the Singapore International Airport, complainant
together with other recruits were apprehended by the Singapore
Airport Officials for carrying spurious travel documents and was
detained at Changi Prisons in Singapore and were deported back in
the Philippines.
• Complainant opted not to pursue with her travel, she demanded for
the return of her money in the amount of One Hundred Fifty
Thousand Pesos (P150,000.00). Respondent made partial refunds of
P15,000.00; P6,000.00; and P5,000.00 leaving the balance of
P114,000 in which demand letter through the counsel of the
complainant was made and was ignored by the respondent.
• Respondent transferred to an unknown residence apparently with
intentions to evade responsibility.
• Thus a complaint was filed, despite of several notices, respondent failed
to answer and failed to attend the scheduled hearings, no appearance
whatsoever by the respondent.
• As a result of the inexplicable failure, if not obdurate refusal of the
respondent to comply with the orders of the Commission, the
investigation against him proceeded ex parte.
ISSUE:

WHETHER OR NOT THE ACTS OF ATTY. CALIS

CONSTITUTES GROSS MISCONDUCT VIOLATING CANON
1.01 OF THE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
FINDINGS OF COMMISSION ON BAR AND DISCIPLINE:

• Respondent deceived the complainant by assuring her that he

could give her visa and travel documents; that despite spurious
documents nothing untoward would happen; that he guarantees
her arrival in the USA and even promised to refund her the fees
and expenses already paid, in case something went wrong. All for
material gain.
• Atty. Calis totally disregarded the personal safety of the complainant
when he sent her abroad on false assurances. Not only are
respondents acts illegal, they are also detestable from the moral point
of view.
• His adamant refusal to comply with the orders of the IBP and his
total disregard of the summons issued by the IBP are contemptuous
acts reflective of unprofessional conduct.
• He did not only unjustifiably refused to return the complainants
money upon demand, but he stubbornly persisted in holding on to it,
unmindful of the hardship and humiliation suffered by the
complainant
RULING:

• Guilty of gross misconduct for violating Canon 1 Rule 1.01

of the Code of Professional Responsibility which provides
that a lawyer shall not engage in unlawful, dishonest,
immoral or deceitful conduct.
• [ Deception and other fraudulent acts by a lawyer are disgraceful and
dishonorable. They reveal moral flaws in a lawyer. They are
unacceptable practices. A lawyers relationship with others should be
characterized by the highest degree of good faith, fairness and
candor.
• The nature of the office of an attorney requires that he should be a
person of good moral character. This requisite is not only a
condition precedent to admission to the practice of law, its
continued possession is also essential for remaining in the practice of
law.]
• The practice of law is not a right but a privilege bestowed by the
State on those who show that they possess, and continue to possess,
the qualifications required by law for the conferment of such
privilege. Membership in the bar is a privilege burdened with
conditions. A lawyer has the privilege to practice law only during
good behavior.
• Atty. Dorotheo Calis is DISBARRED and was ordered to pay to the
complainant immediately in the amount of P114,000.00 representing
the amount he collected from her.